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Courtown man convicted of theft receives suspended prison sentence

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Gorey Guardian

A man from north Wexford who was convicted of a number of theft-related offences was given a suspended custodial sentence when his case went before Judge John Cheatle at a recent sitting of Gorey District Court.

Justin Doody, 14 Beachside Close, Riverchapel, Courtown, Gorey, Wexford, was charged with stealing clothing worth €500 from Sports Direct, Main Street, Gorey, on August 27, 2021.

He was also charged with taking €1,252 worth of clothes from Sports Direct, South Main Street, Wexford, on December 14, 2021, and with taking €32.98 worth of vodka from the Lidl store on Arklow Road, Gorey, on July 11, 2021.

The accused was further charged with a theft-related offence that occurred at the Regatta Store, Main Street, Gorey, on August 13, 2021.

Sergeant Victor Isdell outlined the details of the case to Judge Cheatle and said that in relation to the last matter the defendant placed two bottles of vodka into his bag while in the shop and when he went to the checkout he failed to pay for them and the property was not recovered.

With regard to the incident in the Sports Direct store in Gorey, Sgt Isdell said the defendant was caught on CCTV taking a certain amount of clothes items and that when shown the security camera footage “made full admissions”.

Regarding the incident in the Regatta Store in Gorey, Sgt Isdell said the defendant left the shop with two jackets, without paying for them, and was caught on CCTV.

Sgt Isdell said that following the incident in Sports Direct in Wexford a search warrant was executed at the defendant’s residence and the property was recovered. The judge was also told the defendant had 28 previous convictions.

The defendant’s barrister said his client was 52 years of age and his wife passed away and he became the sole carer for their 13-year-old daughter.

"He was in a bad place at the time,” said the barrister.

"On viewing the CCTV it’s clear these were crimes that weren’t well thought out,” he added. The court heard he was easily identified from the CCTV footage.

"He said the reason was so that he could make some money for day to day living,” said the barrister.

He also asked the judge to take into account that a guilty plea was entered.

"He is doing well now,” said the barrister.

Judge Cheatle imposed a six month custodial sentence in relation to the incident that occurred at Sports Direct in Gorey and further 10-month sentence for the incident that occurred at Sports Direct in Wexford town, to run consecutively.

He then suspended the sentences for 18 months and marked the other matters as taken into account.